Naomi Osaka’s star power in her U.S. Open victory may have been overwhelmed in the short-term by the ongoing Serena Williams controversy from their championship match.

But her long-term outlook is just fine if her reported new apparel deal is any indication.

Osaka, 20, has agreed to an endorsement deal with Adidas that will pay her $8.5 million per year, The Times of London reports.

The contract would be the richest deal in women’s tennis, according to the report. Adidas is expected to announce the deal on Thursday.

Osaka’s global appeal
Osaka, a Japanese-born athlete with a Haitian father who lives in the United States, has broad global endorsement appeal. She’s also an outstanding young tennis player who just put up a dominant performance against Williams to win her first Grand Slam.

The deal will extend an existing relationship between Osaka and Adidas as the two sides approach the end of a four-year deal reportedly valued in the low six-figures annually.

Osaka, who also earned a $3.8 million paycheck with Saturday’s victory, may in fact be in line for another financial windfall. The New York Post reported on Monday that Osaka is also working on a car endorsement deal, though did not name the car company involved.

Naomi Osaka signed an endorsement deal with Nissan Motor Co. Thursday, days after winning the U.S. Open in an upset victory over former No. 1 Serena Williams.

Osaka, the first Japanese to win a Grand Slam singles championship, will appear in global promotions and advertising for the Yokohama, Japan-based carmaker, which will support her as a tennis player, the company said Thursday in a statement. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed in the statement, while a spokesman said the contract would be for three years.

Osaka won the U.S. Open and its $3.8 million prize in an upset victory against her long-time idol Williams -- on whom she did a school report in third grade. The performance has increased media exposure for Osaka, who also has endorsement contracts with Japan-based dried noodle maker Nissin Foods Holdings Co., Citizen Watch Co. and Wowow Inc., a satellite and cable channel.

Last edited by Grossefavourite on Sep Thu 13, 2018 3:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.

U.S. Open Champion Naomi Osaka Gets an Endorsement From Japan’s Most Major Fashion Brand

Naomi Osaka has been riding an emotional roller coaster this week. During the women’s finals at the U.S. Open on Saturday, the 20-year-old Japanese tennis player beat Serena Williams in a dramatic match that erupted in a string of controversial penalty violations, with Williams calling out the umpire for sexism on the court (and rightfully so, in this writer’s opinion). At the trophy ceremony later that evening, the audience booed loudly; both Osaka and Williams cried, before embracing each other, as Williams came to her competitor’s side. It goes without saying that this probably wasn’t the win that Osaka had pictured for herself. But even so, the humble young tennis star proved to be a good sport in the truest sense of the term.

Yesterday, Osaka finally had the chance to breathe a sigh of relief and take it all in. In celebration of the historic win, she posed for official photographs with her first U.S. Open championship trophy in a very special white dress from none other than Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons. In an Instagram posted last night, Osaka thanked the designer, along with Dover Street Market and Adrian Joffe, for the “amazing dress” and “for the support.” It’s rare for the legendary Japanese brand to make a public endorsement of this kind—Kawakubo is famously reticent about publicity, preferring to remain behind the scenes. That being said, Osaka is hardly your average tennis champion, and the gesture added a special layer to the moment.

Whether or not this will be a lasting partnership between Osaka and Kawakubo remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: Comme des Garçons gets major points for helping empower and uplift this inspiring young athlete, even with something as simple as a little white dress.

Last edited by Grossefavourite on Sep Thu 13, 2018 3:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I really like this girl and I am hoping that she will be the next big thing(I Newd someone to root for after Serena). However, I will be surprised if this girl makes it to the quarters of a major next year. I actually will be surprised if she makes it to the 4th round. All of these endorsements are based on her personality and not her tennis game.

The Snickers commercial with Serena would be great. Hopefully these 'spokesperson' endorsements will get her to actually speak. Most of the time it seems that she talks through clinched teeth and/or jaw.